A Summary of my research about corruption and Mexico

There were about six or seven articles that proved to be priceless in writing, better understanding and shaping my topic. Certain resources defining corruption, democratization in Mexico, detailing the history and violence were my vital documents in writing this paper.

My documents that assisted me in understand the scope of corruption in Mexico were J. Bailey's 2006 article, Corruption and Democratic Governability in Latin America: Issues of Types, Arenas, Perceptions and Linkages, Botello and Lopez-Rivera's study, "Everything in This Job is Money": Inside the Mexican Police Force, L.E Nagle's article, "Corruption of politicians, law enforcement and the judiciary in Mexico complicity across the border" and J.S. Nye's, Corruption and Political Development: A Cost-Benefit Analysis. Nye and Bailey assisted in my understanding of corruption. Notably Bailey provided an in depth analysis into different types of corruption and its causes. Botello and Lopez-Rivera and L.E Nagle provided information on the depth of corruption in certain public institutions in Mexico and the mentality of corruption in the Mexican society. Notably, Nagle's article provided a comparative and theoretical understand of corruption in three different spheres that without which, my paper and thesis would have suffered greatly. Nagle's article allowed me to understand the structural issue of corruption in various Mexican institutions.

In terms to the democratization and violence and centralizing of power in Mexico, again Nagel's article assisted in my understanding of this approach through clearly defining the issue of corruption and the history of PRI. However, S. O'Neil's article, " The Real War in Mexico," emphasised the importance of democratization of Mexico in combating the structure that the cartels have thrived under. Finally, M.G. Manwaring's article, " A Contemporary Challenge to State Sovereignty: Gangs and Other Illicit Transnational Criminal Organization in Central America, El Salvador, Mexico, Jamaica and Brazil," provided an in depth and comparative analysis of the history, violence, corruption and threats to democracy and stability that the cartels and corruption have in Mexico.

Through my research, my understanding of the issue of corruption has greatly increased as well as the importance that democracy plays in this issue. Additionally, I had the perception that prior to President Calderon, there were very little efforts to combat the cartels. This is not true. Even more so, the way in which the cartels were combated against in the past proved to be ineffective and yet, those violent measures that were previously attempted are still being executed by Calderon. My research has showed me that the issue of the cartels to some degree, lies in part with the structure of corruption and history of public institutions in Mexico. This is where I reason, that only through changing the structure that has made corruption so permissible, can there be a possibility of eliminating it and checking the power of the cartels. I argue that through democratization and centralization of this democratic power, the structure is potentially able to change and combat corruption and cartels.